Capturing the Concept The Sketchbooks of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw CBE PRA from 1982 to 2007

Capturing the Concept, the exhibition, is scheduled to be held in the gallery at Wimbledon from 4th September to 16th October 2009. The first showing of the exhibition is planned to celebrate Sir Nicholas Grimshaw’s appointment as a Visiting Professor to The Centre for Drawing, University of the Arts London in 2008. Originated by The Centre for Drawing, the exhibition will be the first time Sir Nicholas’ sketchbooks have been displayed in public.

Throughout his career Grimshaw has consistently developed his ideas in a series of A4 sketchbooks, which represent a systematic and consistent approach to his architectural design and reveal his concept drawings, usually hidden once the process of commissioning and construction are underway. Projects that are later developed using high tech processes have all started in a humble sketchbook hand drawn with a pen. The exhibition focuses on the interface between the starting point, the computer assisted designs and the final resolution.

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw graduated with honours from the Architectural Association in 1965. He immediately started his own practice and won many architectural awards for his buildings in the 1960s and 1970s. These buildings were noted for their innovative approach to construction and detailing. His practice is best known in the UK for the International Terminal at Waterloo Station, the Financial Times Print works in the East End of London and the Eden Project in Cornwall. Overseas, his most significant projects include the National Steel Museum in Monterrey, Mexico, the transport centre at ground zero, New York and the refurbishment of the Southern Cross Station in Melbourne, Australia, winner of the RIBA’s prestigious Lubetkin Prize 2007. Sir Nicholas Grimshaw was elected a Royal Academician in 1994 and in the same year he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the AIA. He was knighted in 2002 and in December 2004 was elected President of the Royal Academy of Arts.

As well as celebrating the opening of this landmark exhibition the evening’s events include Sir Nicholas Grimshaw’s inaugural lecture as visiting professor and the launch of a fully illustrated publication to compliment the exhibition, which is realised in collaboration with RA Publishing.

Following the exhibition at Wimbledon, the show will then tour to the Royal Academy of Arts, where Sir Nicholas is currently President. From March 2010 the exhibition will travel to Edinburgh College of Art to coincide the college’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Touring dates:
4 Sept – 16 Oct 2009: the gallery @ Wimbledon, London
Nov 2009 – Jan 2010: Royal Academy of Arts, London
March 2010: Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
Summer 2010: The Burton Gallery, Devon, England

Publication:
The Sketchbooks of Nicholas Grimshaw 1980 – 2009 (published in partnership with RA Publishing). Includes 60 reproductions of concept drawings from Sir Nicholas Grimshaw’s sketchbooks introductory essays by architectural historian Peter Davey and artist Professor Stephen Farthing RA.

Gallery Details:
The gallery is open during exhibitions on Monday to Friday, from 1pm - 6pm and on Saturdays from 11am - 3pm. The gallery is closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
http://www.wimbledon.arts.ac.uk/31114.htm